ProVeg launches in Nigeria to “shift nation” to climate-friendly diet

ProVeg International has launched ProVeg Nigeria, an organisation that aims to promote healthy food that is climate and animal-friendly in Nigeria.

According to ProVeg, the organisation will run across the country – from Lagos to the Sahel region – to make more people aware of the benefits of plant-based diets.

One of the main activities of the ProVeg Nigeria team will be to serve plant-based foods in markets, streets, schools and hospitals.

ProVeg says that Nigerian meat consumption is predicted to rise by more than 300% by 2040, with the current population of over 200 million set to double.

Hakeem Jimo, country director of ProVeg Nigeria, said: “I’m truly thrilled about the opening of the ProVeg Nigeria office and the impact we will have in raising awareness about the need to transform the food system to help people transition to healthier, more climate-friendly diets”.

He continued: “The people who will benefit most from this transition are those in the Global South for whom land pressures from animal agriculture have forced them to leave their land. Our policy work will push for a national strategy that implements a better food system by encouraging food innovation, particularly in the plant-based egg, milk, and protein spaces.”

Before joining the ProVeg network, the Nigerian team had been conducting outreach at schools, churches and mosques, as well as getting plant-based options on menus of restaurants and Nigeria’s street food vendors.

ProVeg chef, Bola Adeyanju, commented: “You can make all the typical Nigerian food like suya, asun, and even nkwobi and stews like egusi and efo riro and of course Nigeria’s popular jollof rice with fried meat all in a mouth-watering plant-based style”.

Sebastian Joy, president of ProVeg International, added: “We believe promoting plant-based foods as both tasty and healthy and raising awareness about the impact of animal-based foods on the climate and biodiversity will help encourage all citizens of the world to transition to more plant-based diets. Having the ProVeg Nigeria team on board to support this mission is a major step forward for us.”

The organisation also plans to collaborate with businesses in the country to help boost Nigeria’s plant-based ecosystem.